i have a 97 sts with northstar engine approx 150,000 miles. about 2 months ago i noticed that the compressor on the rear ride leveler ran alot just sitting in park. i shrugged it off but now i have a problem that my rear of the car is LOW LOW LOW. I also now do not hear the compressor come on at all.
The level of the car never changes it rides low no matter what i do.

can someone help me diagnose the issue with this problem? i dont have a problem getting my hands dirty i just need some direction on this

thanks

Submariner409

12-14-09, 02:54 PM

Lots of threads and posts about this - here and in Seville ^^^.

If the problem started as a frequently or constantly running ELC compressor, your shock boots or air lines are/were leaking. That eventually burned out the compressor from overheating. The compressor also has an exhaust valve (operated by the level sensors also), and a dessicant filter/drier package, any or all of which could be seized/plugged up. I believe the compressor package is inside the RR fenderwell plastic inner liner.

Start by looking at www.rockauto.com for shocks, then either get to Amazon or ebay automotive and find a compressor package for your year. You'll need a dealer to find the air lines if necessary, so talk to Luke in Parts at Lindsay Cadillac, over there >>>>>>>>

Kiss your credit card !!! An early fix would have been expensive, but you're now in the $1,500 - $2,000 (?) area.

Go to the thread at the top of the Seville page and read the entire post "How to pull codes", learn to retrieve the Diagnostic Trouble Codes from your car's built-in system, and return to the post and click on the link with "obd2" in the URL, click on the various P,B,C, and U code links in the Main Index box to get the code definitions.

mpayton@enodis.com

12-14-09, 03:05 PM

my wife has kissed my credit card into oblivion, and now i need it but i am sure it is useless. a question that a freind just brought up is are these shocks air shock? if so is it possible to remove the compressor from the system and set them up to take air from an air hose at the gas station? i do not really care about resale as i willo keep the car until it is dead. another option my freind thought of was the coil rubber block you put between the individual coils would either of these two options work to get the car up a little so it doesnt look like it does?

Submariner409

12-14-09, 03:24 PM

They are not only air shocks but they are also controlled by the active suspension system which is why they're so expensive. The kicker is that you said that the compressor was running a lot, and the most likely culprit is the shock bladder itself, followed by a broken air line.

You can go to passive air shocks, but you have to "fool" the active system into "thinking" you still have controlled shocks.